Signal and registering mechanism for well-drilling rigs



G. n. MORRISON. Y SIGNAL AND REGISTERING MECHANISM FOR WELL DRILLING RIGS- APPLICATION FILED APIL'Zh I920.

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY. v

U Patented Apr. 19,1921.

UNITED STATES GEORGE D. MORRISON, 0F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SIGNAL AND REGISTERING- MECHANISM FOR WELL-DRILLING RIGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 19, 1921.

Application filed April 21, 1920. Serial No. 375,508.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE D; MORRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville in the county of Jefferson and State of lientuck have invented certain new and useful mprovements in Signal and Register Mechanism for Well-Drilling Rigs, of which the following is a specification. 4 1

This invention relates to well drilling apparatus operating to make a hole in the ground by the impact of a drilling tool, and more particularly an apparatus of this kind employing a rocking beam for actuating the drill bit or tool, the latter being carried by a cable suspended from one end of the beam. In an apparatus of this kind, the drill cable must be periodically lowered as the depth of the hole increases, and if this is not done an abnormal strain is placed on the rocking beam, as well as on the cable, often resulting in damage to the former and breakage of the latter. The invention therefore has for its object to provide a signal device which gives warning to the driller as soon as an undue strain is put on the parts, and the device also makes a record indicating how long the apparatus was permitted to run in this condition. As it is important that the drilling tool should make a certain number of strokes in a given period of time, a device has also been provided which records the number of strokes made, and thus indicates whether the driller has been derelict or negligent, and inattentive to his duties.

The objects stated are attained by means of a novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed, and while the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made without a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

In order that the invention may be better understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in said drawing- Figure 1 is an elevation showing the application of the invention; Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the signal and recording mechanism in detail, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring specifically to the drawing, 5 denotes the rocking beam of a well drilling rig carrying at one end the usual temper screw 6 from which the drill cable 7 is suspended, said cable carrying the drilling tool at its lower end, the latter not being shown as it forms no part of the present invention,

and for the same reason the operating means of the rocking beam, and the other parts of the rig have not been illustrated.

On a post or other suitable support 8 is mounted a housing 9 which incloses the signal and recording apparatus which is the sub eot matter of the present application for, patent.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 3, the reference numeral 10 denotes a rod positioned vertically in the housing 9 and pro ecting from the top thereof. The lower end of the rod 10 seats in a sleeve 11 which I is adjustable lengthwise relative to the rod by be1ng screwed into the bottom of the 7 housing. Between the upper end of the sleeve 11 and an abutment 12 on the rod 10, 1s a spring 13 tending to normally hold the rod elevated to project from the top of the housing. The rod 10 is free to slide verti 0 cally or in the direction of its length, and the extent to which it projects from the top of the housing 9 is readily regulated by the sleeve 11.

On the upper end of the rod 10 is mounted a block 14 carrying a contact 15 which is I connected by a conductor 16 to one side of a source 17 of electric current, and to the other side of the latter is connected a conductor 18 leading to a contact spring 19 shaped to overlie the contact 15 and normally spaced therefrom. It will be understood that the parts 15 and 19 are insulated from each other, and hence the electric circuit is normallv open, it being closed when the contact spring spring contact 19 against the contact 15, so 1 that the electric circuit is now closed. This circuit controls the signal and registering devices.

The signal device is a bell 20 having its clapper stem 21 connected to the pivoted 110 en the latter is operating armature lever 22 of an electro-magnet 23 interposed in the electric-circuit hereinbefore described. When the electro-magnet is energized by the closing of the electric circuit, the armature is attracted and the clapper stem is given a working stroke to sound the .bell. A lamp 20 may also be interposed in the electric circuit.

Every actuation of the signal device is recorded on a clock-driven chart 24 in the form of a disk having graduations similar to those of a clock dial, the record consisting of dots or other impressions made on the chart by an imprinting member 25 carried by the armature 22. Thus, every time the armature operates to sound the signal, the member 25 makes a-mark on the dial, so that the latter shows how many abnormal strokes the beain 5 made, and the length of time it was working in this condition, and in this manner the apparatus indicates the length 'of time the driller neglected his duty. Any ordinary clock train 26 may be employed fondrivingthe record chart 24.

The total number of working strokes made by the beam 5 in a given period of time is also recorded on the chart 24by the following apparatus:

The housing 9 carries a vertically reciprocatory rod 27 supported in the same manner as the rod 10, but rising to a greater height than the latter so that it is struck by the beam 5 at every working stroke thereof, normal or abnormal. clock train 26, 'or any other suitable support in the housing 9, carries a pivoted'marker 29 positioned to make impressions on the chart 24. The marker 29 is held away from the chart 24 by a cam 30 on a shaft 30 having a step-by-step rotary movement, and when the cam slips off the marker, a spring 31 advances the latter to make an impression on the chart.

The shaft 30 is driven through a awland-ratchet mechanism by the rod 27 A ratchet wheel 32 is fastened on the shaft 30 and is engaged by a pawl 33 pivoted at 34 to a block 35 seating on a guide bracket 36 through which the rod 27 passes. The rod 27 also passes loosely through the; block 35, and beneath the same has an abutment 37 adapted to come against the bottom of the block 'on the upward stroke of the rod., On the downward stroke, the rod 27 slides through the block 435 and the latter remains seated on the bracket 36. On the return or upward stroke of the rod 27, the abutment 3 carries the block 35 along with the rod, whereupon the pawl 33 takes hold of the ratchet wheel 32 and moves the same one step. On the downward stroke of the rod 27 the block 35 slides down and the pawl-33 slips to take a new hold on the ratchet wheel 32.

a will be evident that when the rod 27 The frame 28 of the has been given a sufiicient number of strokes by the beam 5 to give the ratchet wheel 32 one complete revolution, the cam 30 slips oil the marker 29, and the latter makes an impression on the chart 24, and hence the spacing of the points made by the marker on the chart will indicate whether the beam 5 has been working too fast or too slow.

The downward swing of the pawl 33' relative to the block 35 is limited by a stop pin 38 on the latter. The shaft 30 is supported by the clock frame 28.

The beam 5 is fitted with a contact plate ord chart, a marker for making impressions on the. chart, and actuating means for the marker operated by abnormal movements of the rocking beam.

2. The combination with the rocking beam of a well-drilling rig; of a clock-driven record chart, a marker for making impressions on the chart, an electro-ma net, an armature for the electro-magnet, sai armature carrying the marker, an energizing circuit for the electro-magnet, and circult-controlling means operated by abnormal movements of the rocking beam.

3. The combination with the rocking beam of a well-drilling rig; of a clock-driven record chart, a marker for making impressions on the chart, an electro-magnet, an armature for the electro-magnet, said armature carrying the marker, a signal device operated by the armature, an energizing circuit for the electro-magnet, and circuit-controlling means operated by abnormal movements of the rockmg beam.

4. The combination withthe rocking beam of a well-drilling rig; of a signal device actuated by abnormal movements of said beam. 1 5. The combination with the rocking beam of a well-drilling rig; of a signal device, an electro-magnet having an armature provided with signal operating means, an en ergizmg circuit for the electro-magnet, and circult-controllingv means operated by abnormal movements of the rocking beam.

6. The combination with the rocking beam of a well-drillin rig; of a clock-driven record chart, a marier for making impressions on the chart, an electro-ma et havin an armature operating the mar er, a signa device operated by said armature, an energizing circuit for'the electro-magnet, and circuit-controlling means comprising a pair of normall spaced contacts one of which is engagea 1e by the rocking beam upon abnormal movements thereof to engage the other contact.

7 The combination with the rocking beam of a well-drilling rig; of a clock-driven record chart, a marker for making impressions on the chart, an electro-magnet having an armature operating the marker, an energizing circuit for the electro-magnet, and circuit-controlling means comprising a pa1r of normally spaced contacts one of which is engageable by the rocking beam upon abnormal movements thereof to engage the other contact.

8. The combination with the rocking beam of a Well-drilling rig; of a signal device, an

electro-magnet havlng an armature provided with signal operating means, an energizing circuit for the electro-magnet, and

clrcuit-controlling means comprismg a pair of normally spaced contacts one of which is engageable by the rocking beamupon abnormal movements thereof .to engage the other contact.

In testimon whereof I affix m si nature.

EORGE D. MO' R SON. 

